Lonely Hearts Meeting

Chapter 15 - Meeting The Parents

 "Joe what do we do?" She asks teary-eyed, now that they've both calmed down some. 

"Can I see the message?" Joe murmurs carefully. She nods, knowing it's only fair - he's involved now too. Taylor climbs off his lap, picking her - now cracked - phone up off the floor before shakily unlocking it and handing it to him. The silence in the room is deafening to her now, she's slightly scared that this will be his last straw, that he'll ship her back off to the US and choose to stay here - far away from any drama. She watches as his frown deepens, flicking through the pictures and reading Adam's warning. She just stands there, looking down at him - almost too afraid to move an inch. 

Joe tosses her phone next to him on the couch, sighing.

"Taylor you're not going to like it, but it's time to get the police involved." She bites her lip, she'd sort of come to that conclusion herself but it scares her. She's not an idiot, she knows the justice system doesn't often work in the favour of those who have a 'he said, she said' case. And she knows that's what this is. The last thing she wants is to face a trial and lose - she'd lose everything in the process. In amongst her thoughts, she feels Joe gently grab her hand, pulling her body back down to his as she tries to process all of this. 

"Which police do we go to? New York or London?" She asks quietly, her head filled with a million questions. 

"I think that depends on whether you plan on staying here much longer or going home." Her heart crumples, she's been having so much fun here with Joe the past week - she'd felt freedom here for the first time in so long. She doesn't want to go home yet. But at the same time, being here makes things more complicated investigation-wise. And she's not really free here anyway she supposes. She can't decide, she doesn't want to make a decision. So she just stays silent, she feels herself spacing out - fading away into a simpler existence. It's just all too difficult. 

"Taylor?" Joe murmurs, trying to bring her back to reality - back to this conversation. She sees his hands cup her face, can't really feel it though. She just stares blankly into nothing, it's what she does when her thoughts get too much. "Taylor, love?" She hears Joe calling her for a little while, he must've given up when he just pulls her into him - just letting her be.

Taylor has no idea how much time passes, but she feels reality begin to sink back in again. She sits up quickly, accidentally starting Joe.

"Hey! You okay?" He asks softly, gently running his hand up and down her leg. She nods, 

"Yeah, sorry, I don't really know what that was." She mumbles, remembering the conversation they were having.

"It's okay - how about this? We stay here a few more days, you can meet my family if you're still up for it and then we can go home. We can go home and straight to the police station, they'll find ways to keep you safe - we'll get him behind bars Taylor." His idea makes sense to her. 

"Okay, let's do that. But I swear to god if I lose a trial, I'm finding a way to smuggle myself far, far away." 

"We'll be smuggling us both out of the country love, I'm with you. Through all of this. Okay?" She smiles at him, appreciates how assured he is that he wants to be here with her. She grabs onto his hand, squeezing gently. Taylor allows him to tug her back onto his lap, both cuddling up close - a heaviness has settled back over them, but she's grateful she's still got him.

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The next three days they're practically hermits. They don't leave the house, only ordering food in. All the blinds and curtains have been drawn. They're both on edge, any minor sound during the night has Taylor wide awake. At least Joe has been sleeping, the last thing she'd want is for that to be ruined for him too.